Chrysanthemum plant

ABSTRACT

A chrysanthemum plant originating as a sport of Bronze Princess Anne, characterized by its reddish-bronze blossoms.

The present invention comprises a new and distinct cultivar of chrysanthemum plant which to the best of its discoverer's knowledge and belief is a sport of the unpatented cultivar known in the United States as Bronze Princess Anne.

The new cultivar is similar in many respects to another cultivar, closely related in color and other characteristics, known as Gay Anne, having the same characteristics of:

1. Plant habit.

2. Flower size.

3. Flower form.

4. Flowering response.

5. Foliage size, color and shape.

The new cultivar is distinguished from Gay Anne by the following characteristics:

1. More intense flower color, with more red tones.

2. Fades more slowly.

3. Faded color more attractive.

The new cultivar differs from related varieties such as Bronze Princess Anne, Gay Anne, SR Bronze Princess Anne, Sweet Anne and Red Anne particularly by its distinctive copper red flower color.

The variety additionally differs from Red Anne in having smooth petals compared to the notched petals of the former.

The new cultivar was discovered in a cultivated area in Bend, Oreg., as a flowered plant, and when asexually reproduced by cuttings at Barberton, Ohio, has been found to retain its distinctive characteristics through successive propagations.

The new cultivar when grown in the vicinity of Barberton, Ohio, has a response period of approximately ten weeks, and the following detailed description is based on observations made of the new cultivar in a greenhouse in Barberton, Ohio. The response time, blooming period, color, and total vigor may vary significantly with varying environmental conditions such as temperature, day length, and light intensity. Suggested flowering in the northern and western United States, including coastal California, is from mid-September through May; and in Florida, from December through April.

The accompanying photographic drawing shows the unique characteristics of the new cultivar, the color being as nearly true as possible with color illustrations of this type. In the following description, color references are made to the Munsell Color Book, 1963 edition, except where indicated as Maerz & Paul, "Dictionary of Color", second edition, and comparisons are made with the closely related cultivar Gay Anne shown on the right in the drawing. Where only a single value or description appears for the new cultivar, the same value of description applies as well to the parent cultivar.

    ______________________________________                                         BOTANICAL CLASSIFICATION: Chrysanthemum morifolium                                        Copper Anne   Gay Anne                                              ______________________________________                                         BLOOM:                                                                         Size         5"                                                                Fully expanded                                                                              51/2"                                                             Borne        singly on disbudded                                                            stems                                                             Stems        strong                                                            form         decorative                                                        permanence   10-12 days                                                        color                                                                          center of flower                                                                            yellow          yellow, 2.5Y8/8                                                10YR7/10                                                          base of petals                                                                              lt. yellow      lt. yellow                                                     5Y8.5/8         5Y8.5/8                                           inside of petals                                                                            bronze to copper red,                                                                          orange bronze,                                                 Maerz & Paul,   3.75YR5/12 to                                                  plates 9,I-7    buff, 2.5Y8.5/4                                                Occasionally having                                                            more red tones                                                    reverse of petals                                                                           slightly darker than                                                                           orange yellow,                                                 the inside of petals                                                                           2.5Y8/8 to                                                                     buff 10YR8/4                                      tonality from a                                                                             copper red      dark bronze to                                    distance                     pale buff                                         discoloration                                                                               copper bronze,  buff, 2.5Y8.5/4                                                10YR7/10                                                          PETALS:                                                                        texture      smooth          notched                                           appearance and form                                                                         tubular to open                                                                at base, broaden                                                               quickly to wide                                                                shallow keel, tapering                                                         to notched blunt point                                            arrangement  composite, whorled on                                                          a single receptacle                                               persistance  resist shatter                                                    fragrance    typical chyrsanthemum                                             REPRODUCTIVE                                                                   ORGANS:                                                                        stamen, anthers                                                                             none-10                                                           pollen       none-very scant                                                   arrangement  clustered in center                                                            of flower, if present                                             styles       present both ray and                                                           disc florets                                                      length       short                                                             ovaries      at the base of petal                                                           attached to receptacle                                            PLANT:                                                                         form         herbaceous                                                        growth       semi-upright                                                      height       12"-16"                                                           spread       6"-8"                                                             FOLIAGE:                                                                       top side     dark green,                                                                    7.5GY3/4                                                          size         61/2" long,                                                                    41/2" wide                                                        quantity     numerous                                                          shape        spatulate lobed                                                   texture      smooth                                                            ribs and veins                                                                              prominent                                                         edge         moderately indented                                               serration    moderate serration                                                under side   light green,                                                                   7.5GY5/4                                                          stipules     rudimentary                                                       ______________________________________                                     

We claim:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of chrysanthemum characterized particularly as to uniqueness when compared to the parent cultivar bronze Princess Anne and its closely related cultivar Gay Anne by its more intense flower color, with more red tones, its relatively slower fading characteristic, and its more attractive flower color when faded. 